All the souls I've spoken to who either requested this new forum or showed an interest are planning to discuss veganism, rather than diet in general.

Here is on comment I received from a social media source that sums up the request quite nicely,

I just noticed though, that when I go to the Forum Index, the sub-index "diet" looks like something about vitamins and minerals, not the subject of veganism and non-violence (of which diet is one part). Would you mind changing "Diet" to "Vegan" or "Being Vegan" or "Veganism"? Then within that we can post different threads: diet, clothing, entertainment, experimentation, animal communication, silk, leather, awareness, baba's teachings, animal communication and a host of other things. Diet is really just one part of veganism. Would that be okay?

Also it would be good to settle on a name. Is "Being Vegan" OK, or does anyone have any other preference or suggestion?

But Vegan means no Milk and Milk Product. Most of our Tolis are made of that, atleast in most part of the World. I understand that "Diet" can mean "Vitamins" etc in one part of the world but not necessarily everywhere. Not sure in Golden Age we will be using "Milk" even though metaphorically Baba uses the words "Ocean of Milk" etc. I would propose an Umberella Forum for "Pure /Satvik Diet" and under it we can have sub section like "Vegan" "Vegetarian" "Gluten Free" etc. Just a thought, anything which the majority decides I am fine with it.

Hin GoCool. Over the last few years it has become apparent that a Non Vegan diet, and lifestyle, is dreadfully cruel to industrially farmed animals (including cows), is the primary cause of degradation of the planet, and is unhealthy. As BKs we say we 'follow the highest principles', In Brahma Babas day there was no integrated industrial dairy/meat industry. Please visit Bk World Vegan, Brahma Kumaris Go Vegan, and www.moreaboutbrahmakumaris for more on why it is now time for BKs to change to a truly compassionate, genuinely 'sattvic' vegan diet and lifestyle.

I think the level of attention and awareness raising that is happening around animal cruelty/impact of diary consumption warrants a separate topic/forum....if there is wider dietary interest (beyond veganism), then that could be started at a later date.

As a Bk and a vegetarian and someone who is personally trying to minimize dairy, for various reasons, I think the title of the forum should be a bit broader than just Being Vegan. I say this as the site is related to BK although I still believe not official. So many will want a BK spiritual basis for the content, I do for sure. I became a vegetarian because God asked me. I gave up onions and garlic and alcohol because God recommended it. I can show the murlis for this. I am unable to do the same for veganism. Even though I support the topic it appears too narrow for the group or the forum.

Maybe Vegetarian, Veganism - Spiritual Eating. It will also expand as the forum chooses but at least from the beginning it can be a bit more open and inviting.

I would like new students to believe they can practice their meditation without having to be vegan. Being Vegetarian and celibate is a high enough hurdle.

I can see there are quite a lot of different viewpoints here. Some see it as a personal choice... seeing vegetarianism as amoral imperative and veganism as an option. Whereas dairy is part of the same industry, although there is more suffering. Also, gocool mentioned earlier about having dietary options like gluten-free, vegetarian, vegan etc. To my mind they are totally different. No-one is raped, harmed and killed for gluten. However, they are for dairy. Being vegetarian we are still participating in the harm and suffering of animals.It's also interesting to note that many BKs are becoming vegan but quietly. Jayanti, Maureen (London), Ken, Luciana (Brazil). Quite a few centres are too. Mama gave us our lifestyle in the 1950s. Then Baba augmented that with murlis spoken between 1965 and 1969 in relation to our lifestyle. The world was a different place back then. He is also making us self-sovereign and has given us a mind and a heart to use carefully and with great compassion. If I took the murlis literally.... well.... that's for a different section!Anyway, I think it's important to have a forum where BKs can really consider why we are vegetarian, what it means to be vegan, how it's related to gyan, shrimat, our spiritual endeavour. All that jazz. I'm not sure this is really much help in terms of polling.

Today You are YouThat is truer than trueThere is no-one aliveWho is Youer than YouDr Seuss

OK, the poll has closed and there is only one vote difference in favour of the change to "vegan".

Do I go with the vote or can we reach a consensus here?

My personal view on the new sub-forum is that we should have a "vegan"-related forum because that is the area of interest that people, such as Love, are prepared to post on. There's no point having a generalised, neutral sub-forum title such as "diet" if no one posts in it. And, let's face it, that is the case for most of the sub-forums here.

Considering the above comments I can take on board that the forum must not give the impression that becoming a BK means becoming a vegan (yet!). So perhaps a forum name that is distinctly about veganism but highlights the fact that it is not (yet) part of BK lifestyle.

How about "Veganism - The case for revising the BK diet from lacto-vegetarian to vegan"?